


There Are Ten Things You Need To Know

by Anonymous



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Good Peter, Hurt Peter, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, Injury, Irondad, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Cries, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Peter Parker-centric, Peter-centric, Poor Peter, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Teen Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric, Tony-centric, spiderson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:34:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: "The ground was coming closer. Peter was filled with more fear than he'd ever had before. He was vulnerable. He was helpless. He was alone. He was going to die. How did he get into this situation? Well, ten things came to the forefront of his mind."Peter Parker befriends Harry Osborn, a new kid in his class. Tony Stark is not a fan of this newfound friendship. Tony warns Peter not to trust Oscorp but Peter doesn't listen.
Relationships: Harry Osborn & Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Harry Osborn, Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Harry Osborn, Ned Leeds & Harry Osborn & Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Norman Osborn & Peter Parker, Norman Osborn & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 53
Kudos: 124
Collections: Anonymous Collection





	1. Number 1 - My Friend

Adrenaline rushed through his body, and fear coursed through his veins. A thousand thoughts ran through his head; his life flashed before his eyes. Was this the end of Peter Parker?  
Peter's eyes were squeezed shut, tears that had only dared to fall before were now breaking free. His heart pounded in his chest. It was beating so fast he'd be surprised if a heart attack didn't kill him before he reached the bottom.  
Everything was happening so rapidly. Wind surrounded him as he cut through the sky. Peter finally managed to open his eyes, but everything was a blur. Everything was moving so quickly. His watery eyes darted around, desperately searching for something, anything. But it was too dark, and he was falling too fast. He swallowed a lump in his throat.  
Spider-Man wasn't falling from the top of the Oscorp tower. Peter Parker was falling from the top of the Oscorp tower. He didn't have his suit. He didn't have his web-shooters. Peter couldn't safely latch onto the side of a building and make a getaway. He couldn't have Karen alert, Mr. Stark, that he was in trouble. Even if she could, Peter was probably the last person Tony Stark would want to see right now.  
The ground was coming closer. Peter was filled with more fear than he'd ever had before. He was vulnerable. He was helpless. He was alone.  
He was going to die. How did he get into this situation? Well, ten things came to the forefront of his mind.

~~~  
Peter arrived at school, and the day started out like any other. Ned greeted him at his locker while he put his bag away and grabbed his textbooks.  
"Peter, guess what!" Ned exclaimed, clearly excited about something.  
"What?" Peter asked, slamming his locker door.  
"There's a new kid in our class!"  
"Oh, really?" Peter asked, his curiosity peaking.  
"Yeah, and Mr. Harrington said he wants us to stick with him for the day! Apparently, he's joining Academic Decathlon as well!" Ned bounced happily.  
"Woah! That's awesome! Where is he?"  
As if he was waiting for his cue, a teenager stepped out next to Ned. He was on the pale side with neatly combed, slick, brown hair. He had two blue icy cold eyes and wore a faint smile. He was a bit taller than Peter and towered over Ned.  
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Harry Osborn," the kid smiled, holding out his hand.  
"Peter Parker," Peter said, shaking his hand. He flashed a smile back at him. "So, you're joining the Decathlon team?"  
"Yes, I am. I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be nice to finally go to a real school. Well, I went to school before, just home school. I have nothing against home school; it just gets quite dull being all alone."  
"Woah, I bet! I always need someone to talk to."  
"No, kidding," Peter chuckled.  
Harry smiled.  
"I believe we both have physics first period. Could you show me to the classroom?" Harry asked.  
"Of course! We better hurry because the bell is bound to ring any minute now," Peter said, leading the way to their physics class.

~~~  
A week passed, and Peter, Ned, and Harry had been hanging out every day. MJ would join them sometimes as well.  
The three boys all sat down at a table in the cafeteria. Harry picked at his salad.  
"This is disgusting," he complained, making a face as he lifted the wet spinach on his fork.  
"Yeah, it really is. You really have to be careful when it comes to picking out food in the lunch line," Peter says, picking at his macaroni and cheese.  
"The lunch today stinks," Ned says, pushing his tray to the side.  
"Agreed," Harry says, doing the same. Peter sighs and gives up attempting to stomach the cafeteria food.  
MJ walked over and sat next to the boys, leaning in as if to tell them some top-secret information.  
"I see you guys don't like today's food either," She says, glancing at the trays of barely touched food.  
"Nope."  
"Well, I've got some extra cash from my new job. You guys wanna go hang out at that new coffee shop after school? We can get some real food there," She smirks.  
"That sounds awesome!" Ned cheered.  
"I'd love to," Harry smiled.  
Peter hesitates. He's supposed to go to the Avengers HQ at 4, and the school gets out at 3. He wouldn't want to be late or cancel.  
"Isn't that coffee shop a little far? It'll take a while to walk there. New York streets are busy. Plus, I have somewhere I have to be later today," Peter explained, hands fidgeting.  
"No problem. I can drive us," Harry smirked.  
"Woah! No way! You have a car?" Ned bounced.  
"Yep," Harry grinned.  
"Isn't it illegal for a teenager to drive passengers under the age of 20?" MJ raises a brow.  
"Not when you have a special permit from the city," Harry laughs.  
"Woah! That's so cool! Like, the coolest! Ned exclaimed gleefully.  
"So, are we on for after school?" MJ asked.  
Peter nodded.  
"Heck yeah!" Ned grinned.  
"Definitely," Harry smirked.

~~~  
The final bell had rung, and Peter, Ned, and MJ waited in the parking lot for Harry. After about a minute or so, he walked outside and joined them, his hand holding up some keys that glistened in the afternoon sun.  
He pressed a button on the keys, and a glistening black car beeped.  
"Is that your car?!?!?!" Peter asked, his jaw-dropping.  
"Yep," Harry said proudly.  
"That's insane!" Ned exclaimed, his eyes full of amazement. The four teens made their way over to the car.  
"This is a Bugatti," Peter mumbled, the words fumbling on his tongue.  
"Mhm. The Bugatti La Voiture Noire," Harry said, opening the driver's door.  
"Those are like 12 million! How do you have one?" Peter asked astonished. MJ and Ned both stared in awe at the ridiculously expensive car.  
"I mean when your dad owns Oscorp, you kind of get whatever car you want. I know that sounds narcissistic, but I'm just being honest. Truth be told, when my father got this for my birthday, I said he went a little overboard. But he insisted that I take it," Harry said, getting into the driver's seat.  
"I call shotgun," MJ said, getting into the passenger seat. Ned and Peter both sat in the back of the car.  
It wasn't a long drive to the coffee shop in a car like this. When they parked, many eyes were on them, but they shrugged it off and entered the cafe. After everyone had ordered, Harry insisted that he would pay. At first, Peter protested, but Harry told them it was Nothing. They were his friends, after all.  
The four waited for their beverages and snacks. Once the barista handed their items to them, they all sat down at a table in the corner of the coffee shop by a window.  
"Man, this coffee shop is the greatest," Ned muttered, shoving a cookie into his mouth. MJ shook her head.  
"Yeah. I can tell you like their food," MJ laughed.  
"I think like is an understatement," Peter chuckled. Harry nodded in agreement, and Ned smiled sheepishly.  
"So, you said your dad owns Oscorp?" MJ asked, trying to start a conversation.  
"Yep. Indeed he does," Harry smiled.  
"Woah! That's awesome!" Ned proclaimed.  
"Your dad is Norman Osborn?" Peter asked astonished.  
Harry nodded.  
"Peter works at Stark Industries!" Ned blurted. Peter pressed his lips together.  
"Really? That's quite impressive," Harry said his face lifting.  
"It's nothing really. Just an internship," Peter explained, feeling a bit uncomfortable. It was a topic he didn't like bringing up around his classmates.  
"Nothing? Tony Stark is practically your fath-"  
"No, he's not!" Peter interrupted, his face turning red. MJ raised a brow, amused.  
"Close to the Tony Stark, eh? That doesn't sound like nothing," Harry poked.  
"We're not that close," Peter fibbed. I mean, maybe not a lie. He thought of Tony as a father figure, but there was no way to be entirely sure the billionaire felt the same.  
"If you're an intern at Stark Industries, you must work in the labs, right?" Harry inferred, taking a sip of his latte.  
"Yeah, I do some work in there."  
"You should come by my place sometime. I recently got my own personal lab," Harry offered.  
"Woah, really? That would be awesome! I'd love that!" Peter beamed. Harry smiled.  
"Hey, Peter, didn't you say you had someplace to be after school today?" MJ asked, looking at the time on her phone.  
Peter looked down at his phone. It was 4:15.  
"Oh, shoot! I have to go! I'm late. I'll see you guys soon!" Peter announced, hopping out of his seat and grabbing his bag. He slung his backpack over one shoulder and made his way to the Avengers HQ.


	2. Number 2 - Arrived

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A Bugatti? Dang, who is this kid?" Stark scoffed, handing Peter the blueprints Tony knew he was looking for. He picks up a glass of water.  
>  "Thanks," Peter says, looking them over. "His name's Harry Osborn."  
>  Tony choked on his water.  
>  "Osborn, as in Oscorp?"

Peter arrived at the Avengers HQ at 4:30. He felt awful for being so late. He'd never been this late before. Honestly, he couldn't even remember if he had ever been late when it came to spending time with Mr. Stark. Peter always took every opportunity to hang out with the man, whether lab work, a patrol, a mission, or a movie night.  
Peter anxiously fidgeted with the sleeves of his jacket as he stood in the elevator. It felt like forever, and he had too much time to overthink on the ride up. Would Mr. Stark be mad? What if he was too late and Mr. Stark had somewhere else to be? He couldn't believe that he lost track of time.  
Peter took a deep breath as the elevator doors opened. He stepped out into the lab. Tony Stark stood in the middle of the room, in his Iron Man suit. He turned to look at Peter when he entered, his mask lifted, and an unreadable look on his face. Peter couldn't quite decipher what the expression meant. Relief? Anger? Confusion?  
"Why are you so late?" Tony asked a bit unnerved.  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. I lost track of time," Peter said, looking down at his feet.  
Tony presses his arc reactor, and his suit deactivates.  
"You're never late, kiddo. I was about to go looking for you!" Tony retorted. "Gosh, Pete, I thought something might've happened to you. Why didn't you answer my calls?" He makes his way toward Peter.  
"I didn't mean to worry you. My phone was on do not disturb because I took a Pre-Calc test today. I must've forgotten to turn it off," Peter explained.  
Tony stops in front of Peter and sighs.  
"What were you doing? Is everything alright?" Tony crossed his arms. He became less of a disappointed mentor and more of a concerned parent.  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was hanging out with some friends. There's a new guy in my class. He drove us somewhere in his Bugatti," Peter said, turning his focus to some web-shooters he and Tony had been working on during his last visit. He began sifting through nearby papers, looking for something.  
"A Bugatti? Dang, who is this kid?" Stark scoffed, handing Peter the blueprints Tony knew he was looking for. He picks up a glass of water.  
"Thanks," Peter says, looking them over. "His name's Harry Osborn."  
Tony choked on his water.  
"Osborn, as in Oscorp?"   
Peter met his mentor's eyes for the first time since he'd entered the facility.  
"Yeah, Norman Osborn is his dad. Is something wrong?" Peter asked.  
Tony placed the glass down and rubbed his face tiredly.  
"Be careful with that kid. I don't trust that Norman Osborn."  
"Mr. Stark, Harry's not his father."  
"I know, but...," Tony sighs, "Pete, just trust me on this, alright?"  
Peter furrows his brows.  
"Can you trust me? Harry's a cool guy. He's been hanging out with Ned, MJ, and me a lot. He even invited me to his lab," Peter murmured, turning back to continue to work on the web-shooters.  
"I don't want you going into Norman Osborn's home," Tony decreed, fiddling with a wrench.  
"Mr. Stark, come on, seriously?" Peter rolled his eyes. Tony raised a brow.  
"Kid, I know Norman personally. The Osborns might seem harmless, but trust me, it's not wise to get too friendly. I know from personal experience."  
"Look, I know Oscorp and Stark Industries aren't exactly on good terms, but just because you don't get along with Norman Osborn doesn't mean I can't hang out with Harry. He's my friend," Peter argued, inserting new web fluid into the device.  
Tony sighed.  
"Alright, kiddo, I'll trust you. But if Henry-"  
"Harry."  
"Yeah, if Harry starts acting shady, I want you to leave immediately," Stark ordered, pointing at Peter with the wrench. "Promise?"  
"Promise."

~~~  
It had been two weeks since Harry came to Midtown Tech. Peter Parker and Harry Osborn had become very close during those fourteen days. Their friend group had exchanged phone numbers and created their own group chat. MJ was scarce when it came to the group chat, and Ned would end up spamming too many gifs, so often, Harry and Peter would text off chat.   
The other day, Harry and Peter got into a discussion about lab work. Harry told Peter to stop by his place on Saturday. Peter was absolutely ecstatic. He couldn't wait to see Harry's personal lab.   
Peter arrived at Oscorp Tower at 4:00pm, backpack slung over his shoulder. Once he arrived at the front door, he hesitated. He had been absolutely excited up to this point. He felt a bit nervous now.   
Peter sighed.  
There was nothing to be nervous about. Mr. Stark's lecture earlier that week was only paranoia. He had bad blood with Norman Osborn. He was probably a nice man, just not exactly a friend of Stark Industries. Mr. Stark had just overreacted. Everything would be fine.  
Peter buzzed himself in.  
"Hello? This is Peter Parker. I'm Harry's friend from school."  
Peter waited outside of the iron-framed doors and tapped his foot anxiously. Not long after he buzzed in, Harry opened the door.  
"Hey, Parker!" Harry grinned at the sight of his newfound friend.  
"Hi!" Peter smiled. He walked in, and Harry closed the door behind him.  
"Ready to see my lab?" Harry smirked.  
"More than ready," Peter bounced. Harry let out a chuckle.  
"Allow me to lead the way."  
The two boys hopped onto the elevator. It took them to the top floor, which contained the penthouse. That was where the Osborns lived.  
They walked out of the elevator and into the penthouse's main living area. Peter gawked at how incredible it looked. There was a massive chandelier that twinkled and insanely expensive paintings lining the towering walls. The furniture was very modern, and the decor was over minimalistic but impressive.  
Harry lead him down a hall, and at the end of it was an iron door. There was an extremely high tech pin pad next to the entrance. Harry punched in a code, and the door swung in, unlocking.  
"After you," Harry gestured for Peter to enter first.  
Peter entered and was absolutely blown away. The lab was incredible, unbelievable. Oscorp tech was awe-inspiring. No wonder Stark Industries wasn't a fan of them. Some of this tech looked more impressive than the materials in the Stark lab. Peter gawked and slowly walked around the room, observing and admiring everything. Harry smiled proudly, glad that his friend was impressed.  
"If there's anything you want to test out, be my guest! What's mine is yours," Harry offered so generously. Peter looked up, his eyes bright.  
"Really?"  
Harry nodded.  
After about an hour or three of testing out different contraptions, the iron door swung in. Norman Osborn stood in the doorway.  
"Dinner's ready, Harry," he said. Then Norman paused when he caught sight of the unfamiliar boy in his son's lab.  
"Oh, sorry, Dad. I forgot to tell you I invited a friend over. This is Peter. Peter Parker," Harry rubbed the back of his neck and gestured to the doe-eyed boy.  
"Hi, I'm Peter. Nice to meet you, sir," Peter stood up and paused, glancing at Harry and then back at Norman. "I'd hate to intrude. Maybe I should head back home."  
"Nonsense! A friend of Harry's is welcome to dinner anytime!" Norman smiled.  
"Are you sure?" Peter asked, still a bit hesitant.  
"Positive. It's nice to see Harry even has friends," Norman teases. Harry scoffs but then lets out a playful laugh.  
The three of them made their way to the dining room. Norman took a seat at the head of the table while Peter and Harry took seats on opposites sides, facing each other.   
A maid comes in and sets incredible platters of food before them. Peter thanks her while Norman and Harry just nod and smile, used to this routine.  
"So how long have you and Harry been friends?" Norman asks Peter, cutting into the chicken on his platter.  
"A few weeks actually," Peter said, taking a bite of his food.  
"Peter was the one who helped me find all of my classes on the first day. We really hit it off," Harry smiled.  
"Glad to see you're finally making friends," Norman said, picking at his salad. Harry gave him a wary glance.  
"Is everything alright, father?" He asked his dad.  
Norman sighed.  
"I should really get back to work," Mr. Osborne says, standing up and pushing his chair in. "I really hate to so rudely make my exit, especially when guests are over. Please excuse me, Peter."  
And with that, Norman Osborn exited the dining room, heading back to his laboratory.  
Harry's expression of joy had suddenly faded.  
"Is everything okay?" Peter asked his friend, tilting his head, concerned.  
"My father-" Harry pauses. He takes a shaky breath before continuing. "He often puts work before spending time with me. I think he gets me those impressive, expensive gifts to ease his conscience, lessen the guilt."  
"Oh. I'm really sorry, Harry."  
"It's fine."  
Peter starts to feel uncomfortable, as if he's poking his nose somewhere it shouldn't be.   
"Uh, I should probably go. It's getting late, and I hate to intrude," Peter says, pushing his chair in. "Thank you for dinner and for showing me your lab."  
"Of course. Any time. Sorry about my dad. He's always busy, but he's been acting a bit...I don't know, off lately."  
"It's okay. I'll see you at school on Monday," Peter flashes a smile before grabbing his backpack and showing himself out.  
Peter sighs as he steps out of Oscorp Tower. He's about to make his way home when an odd sound makes him turn the other way.  
A green creature whipped past him, souring through the sky above him on some sort of board, letting out an ear-piercing cackle.  
Looks like Spider-Man was needed once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I will do my best to update frequently. My goal is to update every Thursday but I'm sorry if I get off schedule. Thank you so much for all of the comments and kudos. They are greatly appreciated.


	3. Number 3 - I Wish I Could Tell You What Was Happening In His Brain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sorry, Peter, I didn't mean to scare you," Norman said.  
>  "Oh, uh, It's okay. Is something wrong?"  
>  "No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to thank you."  
>  "Thank me?"

Peter ran into the nearest alleyway and suited up as fast as possible. Spider-Man webbed onto a nearby building and swung into the evening air, after that green creature. Whatever it was, it was moving awfully fast. Peter was struggling to keep up with it.  
Peter came to the conclusion that the being figured out he was following it. Suddenly, it started weaving in and out between buildings. After a few sharp turns over several blocks worth of distance, Spider-Man lost sight of the thing. He listened as the cackling subsided.   
~~~  
It was a Friday afternoon, and class had just gotten out. Peter and Harry had been friends for three weeks now, and it was only a week ago that Spider-Man had seen that odd creature soaring through the skies of New York. He hadn't seen it since and told himself that maybe it was just a strange-looking drone. He hadn't heard any recent news on it either, so Peter assumed it was probably nothing and shrugged it off.  
Peter and Harry stepped out onto the front steps outside of the main building. A silver Lamborghini pulled up at the front of the school. A chauffeur was driving it.  
The passenger door opened and out walked Norman Osborn.  
"Harry! Peter! How lovely to see you both!" He greeted them, arms open wide.  
"Hey, dad," Harry smiled.  
"Hi, Mr. Osborn. How are you?"  
"I'm well, thank you for asking!" Norman grinned.  
"What're you doing here, dad? You didn't tell me you were coming to pick me up today."  
"Well, I've been thinking a lot recently, and I hate that I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with you. I thought it was about time to make it up to you," Mr. Osborn smiled softly.  
"Are we going to spend time together today?" Harry asked, a smile creeping onto his face.  
"Actually, I have several surprises for you," Normal grinned.  
Harry's smile faded.  
"Oh, so we're not going to hang out?"  
"Unfortunately not. I'm so sorry work has just been absolutely crazy. Oscorp is working on a deal with Stark Industries. But, anyway, I still have something awesome planned!"  
"Alright," Harry seemed a bit more hesitant.  
"I got you both front row tickets to Hamilton on Broadway tonight!"  
"Woah, really? That's so awesome! Thank you, Mr. Osborn!" Peter beamed.  
"Yeah, thanks, Dad," Harry smiled lightly.  
"And I got you both free all-day VIP passes to the Technological Appreciation Festival hosted by Stark Industries next weekend!"   
"Thank you for your generosity, but I already have a VIP pass," Peter informed Norman.  
"Oh? How did you get your hands on one of those?" Norman asked, a bit surprised.  
"Peter is an intern for Tony Stark! He's really talented," Harry grinned and playfully elbowed Peter. Peter laughed nervously.  
"Wow. Impressive. Not gonna sell out our secrets to the other side, are we, Peter? A spy, are you?" Norman stared down at Peter.  
"No, no, of course not! I-"  
"I'm just kidding Peter. That's lovely that you have a nice internship. I'll just give the extra pass to someone else," Norman grinned.  
Peter chuckled nervously and returned the smile.  
~~~  
"It's really cool of you to put on a festival like this, Mr. Stark. This fundraiser is going to help a lot of schools across the state of New York," Peter smiled up at his mentor.  
"It's really nothing, kiddo. Part of the job," Tony smirked down at his mentee.  
The pair both approached the entrance of the bustling street fair. It took up many blocks in downtown New York.  
"What're we gonna do first? I know there's a lot of cool games, but I was thinking of going to one of the panels. Oh, but there is a lot of good food. But also maybe-"  
"I'm sorry, Pete, but I have some very important people I have to talk to first. I have to make some introductions, make sure not to ruffle any feathers. But I'll catch up with you later, alright, Buckaroo?" Tony said, ruffling Peter's brown curls.  
"Oh, right. Yeah, no problem," Peter forced a smile, trying to hide his disappointment.  
Tony smirked at Peter before departing. Peter watched as he approached some men in costly suits that were standing nearby. Peter felt their eyes move to him. He didn't like the attention and decided to take off and search for something fun to do. He only took a few steps before hearing his name.  
"Hey, Peter! Over here!" He heard a familiar voice call.  
Peter turned to see Harry waving, standing beside his father. Peter made his way over to the pair.  
"Hi, Harry! Hello, Mr. Osborne," Peter smiled.  
"Hello, Peter," Norman greeted.  
"I heard the Iron man suits are on display nearby! Wanna go see them?" Harry beamed.  
"Sure!" Peter agreed, even though he'd seen them a thousand times. And many of those times were up close in battle.  
"I'll let you kids hang out for now. I'm going to catch up with a few old friends."  
"Alrighty! See you later, Dad!" Harry exclaimed, before rushing off with Peter.  
The two boys arrived at an encasement filled with 10 Iron Man suits.  
"Woah, these are awesome," Harry stated, awestruck.  
"Yeah, they really are," Peter agreed. Even though he'd seen them countless times, he still couldn't get over how cool they were. Iron Man would always be just as awe-aspiring as the first time he saw him at the Stark Expo all those years ago.  
"Who's your favorite superhero?" Harry asked, still admiring the suits.  
"Oh, uh, probably Iron Man."  
"You just saying that so you don't get fired?" Harry teased.  
Peter laughed.  
"No, I really do mean it. I had always looked up to him, even as a kid. It's crazy that I get to work with- for him. It's truly a blessing, an honor," Peter rambled, also admiring the Stark Tech. "How about you? Who's your favorite superhero?"  
"I really like Spider-Man. I like how down to earth he is, looking out for the little guy. I really respect that," Harry smiled, eyes still mesmerized by the flashy suits. A grin spread across Peter's face.  
"Yeah, I like Spider-Man too."  
"I heard he's close to Iron Man. You work with Stark, have you met him before?"  
"Oh yeah, totally. I've encountered several Avengers, actually."  
"That's so cool!"  
Harry's eyes shifted to something else behind Peter.  
"Woah, is that a funnel cake stand over there?" Harry asked, glancing over Peter's shoulder.  
"I wouldn't be surprised. This place is full of tons of awesome food."  
"I'm gonna go buy some. You want some?"   
"I'm actually okay for now, but I'm going to check out a stand I saw on the way in. I'll catch up with you in a moment," Peter said.  
Harry nodded and ran off to the funnel cake booth. Peter made his way over to the stands by the entrance. He thought he saw a neat ice cream stand at the front, and he wanted to know if they had any Spider-Man popsicles. He heard rumors of someone making some, and he just had to know.  
He arrived at the stand and unfortunately didn't see any. He was about to head back over to Harry when he felt a hand clasp down on his shoulder. He jumped a bit surprised.  
"Sorry, Peter, I didn't mean to scare you," Norman said.  
"Oh, uh, It's okay. Is something wrong?"  
"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to thank you."  
"Thank me?"  
"Well, you see, Harry hasn't had many friends over the years, being homeschooled and such. It's nice to see he finally has someone. And you're quite a bright mind. I think Harry will truly only benefit by keeping you in his company," Norman said, his arm around Peter as they slowly walked.  
"Well, he's a great guy."  
"I wanted to thank you for being there for him. And Stark Industries? That's truly impressive. I'm sure your parents are proud."  
"I actually live with my aunt. They passed a while back."  
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry to hear that. Well, if you ever need anything at all, you can count on me. I'll be there for you. A friend of Harry's is always welcome at Oscorp," Norman smiled.  
"Thank you, Sir."  
"Don't mention it. Well, I promised I'd stop by a friend's panel. I'll see you, boys, in a few hours."  
"See you, Mr. Osborn."  
And with that, Norman departed, and Peter made his way back over to Harry.  
~~~  
Tony was conversing with several people of high status, possible business partners. Stark Industries was thriving, and he was planning on making a contract with a company for his latest project. It was going to be a partnership for a specific project. Pepper said them getting involved with other companies would be good publicity. Several companies wanted the spot; wanted to be on Stark Industries good side, and one of those companies was Oscorp.  
There were many other companies as well, though. Tony had a history with almost every one of them and was hesitant about Pepper's new idea. Still, she told him to get over it. He couldn't say no to that woman if he tried. She was something else.  
Board members of both Pym Technologies and Hammer Industries were both trying to get his attention. He was doing his best to be courteous to them both, despite their rather annoying antics.  
A third person joined the party, a reporter. Wow, and he thought three was a crowd.   
"Mr. Stark, a couple of questions! I'm Betty Brant, with the Daily Bugle! I'm an intern looking for my big break, and I could really use a good story. Could I borrow you for a moment?"  
"I'll be in contact with you both soon," Stark said, shooing the two board members away to tend to the reporter. "How can I help you?"  
"I just have a few questions."  
"Ask away!"  
Tony's attention was suddenly focused elsewhere when he saw none other than Norman Osborn approaching Peter in the distance.  
Tony couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Norman was being friendly, nice to the kid. Norman Osborn only seemed interested in being kind to someone if there was something in it for him. He was all sorts of shady, coy even. He knew how to play his cards. Tony did not like how buddy-buddy Norman was being with his kid. Peter wanted to look for the best in everyone and often overlooked many red flags. He knew Peter thought of the Osborns has friends, but he just wished Peter would trust him on this. Norman Osborn was bad news.  
Another feeling burned inside of him as he saw Norman walk with Peter. He watched as Norman patted the boy on the shoulder before taking off, and Peter continued on toward the funnel cake stand. What was this feeling clawing at him? Was it jealousy?  
Tony realized he hadn't spent any time with Peter at all that day at the festival. He couldn't help but feel guilty-  
"Mr. Stark?" The reporter asked.  
"Oh, right, sorry. You were saying?"  
Suddenly, the reporter's face went pale, looking up at something in the sky. Tony turned to find himself staring up at a green creature on board, heading right toward the festival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of the comments and kudos! They are very much appreciated.
> 
> I have spent a ton of time researching the Spider-Man comics for this story and was rewatching the film with Green Goblin as well, taking notes. I've spent a ton of time on this and I hope you like the chapter! I have many great ideas for the ones to come. Trying to make sure that I continue updating every Thursday.


	4. Number 4 - A Man On A Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Sorry, Goby, but you gotta play nice."  
>  "Get off of me, insect!"  
>  "Actually, I'm an arachnid-"  
>  Green Goblin jerked his board up and began flying up into the sky. He was a man on a mission, well, if he even was a man. And his mission? Well, that was unbeknownst to Peter.

Shouts and screams filled the air as the creature came closer. As it flew lower to the ground, it was visible that this thing was not a drone. It was a person riding on a very high tech board. They wore a mask of a goblin, and their yellow eyes glistened. A cackle arose from their throat as they approached rather rapidly.  
Peter looked up at the creature, instantly recognizing that laugh. It was the very same cackle he had heard earlier that week. Whatever it was, it was headed right towards Tony Stark.  
There was no time to suit up. Peter bolted to Tony and tackled him to the ground, just in time. The man had been too busy trying to figure out was heading in his direction to take heed and get out of the way. Thankfully, Peter was there to assist. The two fumbled to the ground, narrowly missing the two blades that jabbed out of the front of the board.  
"Mr. Stark, are you okay?" Peter asked, sitting up.  
Tony was a bit flustered, trying to process what had just happened.  
"What on earth was that thing?" Tony thought aloud, standing up and brushing himself off. He looked back up at the sky, trying to locate the creature.  
"I have no idea, but it tried to kill you!"  
"Honestly, who doesn't wanna kill me these days?" Tony said under his breath, still scanning the sky. He activated his iron man suit.  
The Green Goblin decided to come back for round two, blades ready. He swooped down at the pair. Iron Man pushed Peter out of the way, and repulser blasted the menace. The goblin dodged the attack, and Peter ran off to suit up somewhere out of sight.  
At first, people looked up at the sky, assuming this was all part of some demonstration of Stark's. They realized it probably wasn't a show once Goblin tried to shoot at Iron Man once more and missed, disintegrating a nearby stand. Everyone started scattering, screams, and shouts filling the air.  
Green Goblin turned his attention elsewhere: a group of board members from other big companies. He cackled and headed straight towards them, weapons ready.  
Spider-Man swung out of nowhere and tackled Green Goblin, latching onto his back. This caused the monster to swerve and miss his targets.   
"Sorry, Goby, but you gotta play nice."  
"Get off of me, insect!"  
"Actually, I'm an arachnid-"  
Green Goblin jerked his board up and began flying up into the sky. He was a man on a mission, well, if he even was a man. And his mission? Well, that was unbeknownst to Peter.  
Spider-Man looked down only to realize they were now pretty high up. He webbed a nearby building to escape the Goblin's clutches, swinging off and back down to the festival. Green Goblin groaned in annoyance and darted back towards the ground, after the heroes.  
Meanwhile, Iron Man had been escorting citizens to safety. Spider-Man landed beside him.  
"Hiya, Mr. Stark! Need some help?"  
"Kid! You take care of the citizens now. I'll handle this goblin guy," Iron Man said. Without waiting for a response, he flew up into the sky to battle with Green Goblin.  
Peter listened to Tony and continued to get people to safety. Shortly after Iron Man's departure, he returned.  
"Back so soon?"  
"He's gone," Iron Man stated.  
The two looked around and suddenly realized that the festival was practically a ghost town now. Spider-Man had gotten the rest of the people to safety. Tents and stands were turned over, some were even destroyed or disintegrated.  
"I got everyone to safety."  
"I'm glad," Tony said, deactivating his suit.  
Spider-Man sighed his mind elsewhere.  
"What's up, kiddo?"  
"Well, you see, I think I may have encountered Green Goblin about a week ago."  
"What? Why didn't you tell me?"  
"I only got a glimpse of him. He didn't do any damage, just flying around. I thought it was a drone or something. My bad," Peter laughed nervously.  
Tony sighed and shook his head.  
"Whoever this guy is, he's pretty powerful. I'm going to do some looking into this mysterious Green Goblin. Not sure if he's just another villain wanting to terrorize people or if there's more to this..."  
"Good idea."  
"Kid, in the future, if you see something suspicious, keep me posted, huh?"  
Peter nodded.  
~~~  
It had been a week since the Green Goblin attack, and there had been none since. Tony hadn't brought up any new information about the mysterious villain since the day of the festival.  
The week had gone by pretty fast, and the week was overall good for Peter. Ned, MJ, Harry, and he hung out at the coffee shop again on Tuesday. Peter aced his physics test on Wednesday. And, once again, Peter was at Harry's house that Saturday afternoon. Things were going really smoothly. That was until someone made a surprise visit to Oscorp Tower.  
Harry and Peter were working on some experiments in Harry's personal lab when they suddenly heard shouting. Out of curiosity, the two boys peaked their heads out of the lab door, peering down the hall.  
To Peter's surprise, Tony Stark was yelling at Norman Osborn.  
"I knew you were up to no good! What is this? You've gone to selling tech to villains now, have you?" Tony shouted.  
"That tech was stolen two weeks ago!"  
Tony scoffed.  
"Oh, you expect me to believe that?"  
"Are you implying that I would stoop so low as to selling my tech to super villains? Wow, Stark, I knew you didn't like Oscorp, but these fabrications-"  
"Fabrications. Fabrications?! Your tech put many lives in danger! It ruined the festival! You really think Oscorp has a good chance of getting that contract now? And what on earth were you developing a murderous hoverboard for?!"  
"That's not of your concern."  
"Oh, I think it's very much my concern! My k- my intern was at that festival! Your son was at that festival! You're really okay with the fact that they were in danger because of your tech?!"  
"You're one to speak, Stark. Stark Expo, Hammer Industries, Ivan Vanko- is any of this ringing a bell?"  
Tony was infuriated. He turned and noticed the two boys peaking out at them, listening in on their conversation. Tony was no longer interested in Norman. He made his way toward the boys.  
"Peter, we're going."  
Tony marched to the door.  
"But Mr. Stark-"  
"Nope. Not a word."  
"But Harry and I-"  
Tony glared at Peter. Peter decided it was best to shut his mouth right about now. He had seldom seen the man this mad. Peter grabbed his bag and gave Harry an apologetic look. Harry returned the gaze with a half-hearted smile in an attempt to make Peter feel better.  
Tony grabbed Peter by the arm and took them both to the elevator. Tony didn't say another word to Norman. He just pressed the button that would take them to the bottom floor. The elevator doors shut.  
"What was that about?" Peter asked hesitantly.  
"Green Goblin was using Oscorp tech."  
"What?"   
"I knew that Norman Osborn couldn't be trusted. He always pulls shady stuff like this. He thinks he can-"  
"Have you considered the possibility that the tech was stolen? I mean, bad guys use your tech all the time."  
"This is different."  
"How is it different?"  
Tony huffed and rolled his eyes.  
"Look, kid, I know you mean well, but you don't know Norman as well as I do."  
"Maybe you're wrong about him."  
"I'm not wrong. He's cold-blooded."  
"Well, at least the cold-blooded hung out with me at the festival."  
Tony was taken aback by that statement. He stopped replying. It was his way of saying the conversation was finished. The two made their way to the car, and they were silent the rest of the ride to Peter's place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated <3
> 
> I hope you like this chapter! Sorry that the fight wasn't the longest. There will be more action in chapters to come. Things are going to start getting crazy pretty soon. I hope you like the story so far!


	5. Number 5 - Didn't Know This At The Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter was feeling very tired all of a sudden. His eyes drooped, and he began to sway. He felt himself drifting away. It only took a few seconds, and then Spider-Man collapsed, unconscious.  
>  "Sleep tight, spidey boy," Green Goblin cackled.

Peter hated the silence on the way home. A part of him wanted to take back what he had said, but another part didn't. Mr. Stark had blown him off at the festival.  
But to be fair, he was a busy man. He had to meet with lots of clients and people of high social status. Tony had to meet with many important people. Apparently, Peter just wasn't important enough.  
Peter looked out the window of the passenger seat. He began to become lost in thought as he watched the cars go by on the night road, speckled with tail lights.  
He didn't like how Mr. Stark had pulled him away from Oscorp Tower. Whatever little feud Tony Stark and Norman Osborn had, Peter wanted no part in. All he wanted was to hang out with his friend. Harry and Peter had been having so much fun in the lab there, experimenting and trying new things. It was a blast. He didn't want Tony to prevent him from hanging out with Harry. Harry Osborn was not his father. He was his own person.  
Peter sighed and continued to watch the road. Soon, the taillights became blurs and disappeared altogether.  
~~~  
When they arrived at Peter's apartment, Tony hadn't noticed that the kid had fallen asleep. He couldn't help but look fondly at the sleeping child in the passenger seat to his right. How could he ever stay mad at his kid?  
Peter didn't understand. Tony was doing this because he wanted to protect him. He had dealt with a bloody-thirsty Norman Osborn countless times. He had witnessed many things in Norman's career and knew numerous crimes the man had gotten away with.  
Tony was happy that Peter had a new friend, but why did it have to be the kid of Norman Osborn? Who knew if you could trust anybody in that family.  
Tony opened his car door and hopped out of the car, slowly shutting it behind him, careful not to wake Peter. He walked around to the other side of the vehicle and quietly opened the door on Peter's side. He bent over and lifted the boy into his arms, bridal style. It was like carrying lead. Tony was getting too old for this, but it was worth not waking the peaceful child in his arms.  
~~~  
A few days passed, and Peter hadn't hung out with Tony at all. He was still kind of upset with him. A part of him felt bad for distancing himself from the man, but it wasn't fair. Mr. Stark didn't trust his judgment and that kind of hurt. He had been friends with Harry for quite some time now. He trusted Harry, and so did his other friends. Harry Osborn was a cool guy and a genuine person. He was very different from his father. Why couldn't Tony see that? He felt that the billionaire didn't trust his own assessment of character, and that hurt. Maybe he was just trying to look out for him, but that didn't change the fact that it troubled him. Mr. Stark was letting his paranoia ruin their relationship.  
Spider-Man was swinging around New York one day, on a mission, when he spotted smoke in the distance. What on earth was that? It looked like something was on fire.  
Spider-Man swung over in the direction of the looming dark cloud of smoke that filled the air. To his horror, as he got closer, he discovered that the building on fire was Stark Industries. In fact, it looked like several explosions had gone off. Dread ran through Peter. He swung over and landed by the burning structure.  
"Mr. Stark!" he called out. Spider-Man paused and looked around. There weren't many people around. He saw a few workers run out of the building, but it seemed that most had already escaped.  
Spider-Man ran into the burning building, searching for survivors. He found two women and a man and helped them out of the building to safety.  
He couldn't help but worry, though. If Mr. Stark had made it out, wouldn't he have been saving people in his Iron Man suit? He was nowhere to be seen. Where on earth was he?  
Peter re-entered the building and continued to search frantically. He was so full of dread and worry. He somewhat blamed himself for not hanging out with the man as much recently.   
"Mr. Stark?! Mr. Stark?!" Spider-Man called out, continuing his search.  
He couldn't make out any more silhouettes or people. He had been in the building for too long, and smoke was starting to fill his lungs. He began coughing, yet still searched through the mess.  
"Mr. Stark? Are you there?!"  
He heard something. A familiar voice, but it was quiet, distant.  
"Mr. Stark?"  
Finally, in the corner of the room he was currently in, he spotted a figure lying on the ground.  
"I see you, Mr. Stark. Don't worry! I'm here to help!" Spider-Man made his way over to that corner of the room, to the figure lying on the floor.  
Without warning, the figure shot up once Peter was standing a few feet from them. They turned and faced Spider-Man, and Peter realized the figure was not Tony Stark. He was face to face with Green Goblin  
Green Goblin laughed and held up both of his wrists, shooting some gas at Peter's face. Peter was feeling very tired all of a sudden. His eyes drooped, and he began to sway. He felt himself drifting away. It only took a few seconds, and then Spider-Man collapsed, unconscious.  
"Sleep tight, spidey boy," Green Goblin cackled. He knelt down and picked up Spider-Man, bridal style. Then, he hopped on his board and flew off with the hero.  
~~~  
Tony had been out at the Avengers HQ all that day. He wanted to make some changes to the facility. He was instructing a crew of architects and construction workers, letting them know exactly how he wanted things to be. Tony made sure to hire the best of the best. He did have the money to do so, after all. Being the perfectionist he is, Tony ran a bit over time. He just had to be sure they had the proper instructions.  
When Tony Stark was about to leave the facility, he received a call from Friday. He was not happy to learn that several explosions had gone off at Stark Industries. Thankfully, no one was killed, but the building received much damage. Friday informed him that people were fleeing and that the building was burning.  
Tony tapped his arc reactor and suited up.  
"On my way."  
Iron Man flew as fast as he could back to the city. He was glad no one was killed, but he still felt guilty. How could he allow such a breach in security? Who did this? What did they want?   
He didn't know this at the time, but Spider-Man was already at the facility, searching for him.  
And when Tony Stark arrived at Stark Industries, he watched in horror as Green Goblin raced off into the distance, carrying Spider-Man in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated! <3
> 
> Your comments really make my day. Thank you for all of your kind words and support! I've been able to stay on a consistent schedule of updating every Thursday, and I am going to try to continue to post on schedule. I hope you like the story so far!


	6. Number 6 - With Such Rigor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter backed into the wall. He was thankful that he was still wearing his suit. He didn't want the Goblin to see the look of fear on his face.  
> Green Goblin knelt down and cupped Spider-Man's face with his claw-like hand. He cackled.  
> "A little birdy told me that out of all the goody-goodies-" He paused, his yellow eyes glowing, "Iron Man favors you, Spider."

Where was he? Peter groggily lifted his head, and his eyes fluttered open. He felt pretty tired still. It took a lot of effort to raise his head and scan the room. If he was even in a room.  
Wherever he was, it was pretty creepy looking. His vision was still trying to adjust to the new, unfamiliar surroundings. The room was very dimly lit and a bit hazy. It made it even more difficult for him to inspect the place.  
"The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout..." A sing-song voice echoed.  
Peter groggily tilted his head, still barely able to move. He couldn't find where the sound was coming from.  
"Down came the Goblin..." A silhouette emerged from the shadows.  
The profile advanced toward the slumped over spiderling. Peter realized that the creature was progressing, and he tried to force himself to move. It was incredibly difficult to feel his limbs though. What was he sprayed with?  
"...and washed the spider out..."  
Peter backed into the wall. He was thankful that he was still wearing his suit. He didn't want the Goblin to see the look of fear on his face.  
Green Goblin knelt down and cupped Spider-Man's face with his claw-like hand. He cackled.  
"A little birdy told me that out of all the goody-goodies-" He paused, his yellow eyes glowing, "Iron Man favors you, Spider."  
"What did you do to me-"  
"Temporary sedation and paralysis," The creature laughed, claws still cupping his cheek.  
"Iron Man doesn't favor me. We're just colleagues."  
"Oh? Is that so?"  
Spider-Man doesn't react, carefully watching for the monster's next move.  
Green Goblin removes his hand for a moment. He reaches for something on the ground nearby. A file.  
"If that's the case, then what are these?"  
He holds out photos of Spider-Man and Iron Man fighting together. There are many photos of separate occasions.  
"Like I said. We're colleagues."  
"Well, he doesn't fight alongside Captain America or Black Widow every other day of the week," He puts the photos down. He grabs Spider-Man right under the jaw, forcing him to look into his disturbing golden orbs. "I think the heartless billionaire has a soft spot for you. And that's exactly why I need you."  
"He's not heartless!"  
Green Goblin laughs.  
"Defensive much? Sure doesn't sound like he's just a colleague. Now, let's see who exactly I'm dealing with here," the creature reaches to unmask him.  
Spider-Man tries to move. He so badly wants to, but his limbs are still very numb. Peter can barely feel them. He's utterly defenseless. Completely helpless.  
The Goblin grabs hold of his mask and rips it off, revealing a rather shaken Peter Parker. He examines his face with such rigor.  
"Peter?"  
Before Peter can ask how on earth this monster knows his name, Iron Man crashes through the ceiling, landing rather majestically, in Peter's opinion.  
"Play time's over, Gobby," Tony says, raising his repulsers.  
Green Goblin shakes himself and stands up, facing Iron Man.  
"You know, it makes sense. Of course, Spider-Man is your beloved intern."  
"If you lay a finger on him-" He glances at an unmasked, rather still Peter. "Kid, are you okay?"  
"Temporary paralysis," Peter informs him.  
"Gotcha."  
"You know, you're really messing with my plans, Stark. I was gonna put on a show with Spider-Man as the lead, but now that you're here, well, I don't think that's gonna work-"  
Iron Man blasts at Green Goblin, but he dodges, leaping onto his hoverboard. He cackles maniacally.  
"Nice try, tin can!" He hollers, blades jutting out of his board. He zooms straight toward Tony.  
Stark dodges the attack, but Green Goblin is coming for round two. He makes a quick turnaround and heads straight back at Iron Man.  
Well, Peter thought he was heading straight toward Iron Man, but his heart skips a beat when his spidey sense goes off, and he finds that Gobby had zoomed past Stark and had a new target: him.  
"Peter, get out of the way!"  
"I can't!" Peter tries to move, but his limbs just don't want to work. He manages to shift a little but not much. It's only a matter of seconds until-  
Green Goblin is tackled to the ground by Iron Man. His board crashes into a nearby filing cabinet, but Goblin and Stark continue to wrestle.  
"Sayonara, Stark!"  
Green Goblin reveals a giant blade. His back up plan. He tries to stab Tony, aiming right at his arc reactor. But the two fumble a bit more, and the blade impales Green Goblin instead.  
The two stop fighting and separate. Goblin stumbles back, realizing what he's done. He removes the blade from his abdomen and falters to the ground.  
"Looks like the jig is up, Mr. Grinch," Tony says, advancing toward Green Goblin. "Let's unmask the menace, hm?"  
Iron Man reaches for the Goblin mask and pulls it off. Tony drops it and stumbles back, shocked.  
Peter can't quite see from where he's positioned in the room.  
"Mr. Stark, what's wrong? Who is it?"  
"Norman?"  
Norman Osborn coughs, holding his side.  
"It appears my masquerade has come to an end."  
"Mr. Osborn?" Peter questions.  
"Why did you take the kid?"  
Norman let out a groan of pain.  
"I didn't want the kid. I wanted Spider-Man. They just happened to be the same person," he laughs lightly then grunts.  
"What was your genius plan, huh, pal?"  
"The deal that you're signing with a lucky company...I know that you're fond of Spider-Boy-"  
"Spider-Man," Peter corrects him.  
Norman scoffs.  
"Fine. Spider-Man. I was going to set him up- make it look like he was in danger, and then my tech was gonna save him. Then you would've had to give the deal for me. You would've-" Norman falters, coughing once more.  
"Some plan. Now, let's get you to a hospital, and then prison. FRI, scan 'em."  
"It appears that he has lost a lot of blood and has punctured vital organs."  
Norman coughs and then starts laughing.  
"What's so funny?"  
He reaches for a disintegration bomb.  
"This."  
Norman Osborn throws the bomb at the still unmovable Peter Parker. Before Peter can realize what's happening, Tony blasts the bomb, and it disintegrates in mid-air, destroying nothing.  
"Not a smart move on your part," Starks says. He turns to find Norman Osborn, dead.  
"Is he...?" Peter asks.  
"It appears so," Tony says, lifting his mask. He turns and heads over to Peter. "You alright, Kiddo?"  
"Yeah."  
"Did he hurt you?"  
"No. Just sprayed me with some gas. That's why it's hard for me to move."  
"Gotcha," Tony says. He pauses and glances back at Norman's still body. Then he turns back and faces Peter. He picks up the kid's fallen mask. "Friday, send the cops to this location. I've gotta carry Pete."  
"On it, boss."  
Tony puts Peter's mask back on him and puts down his own mask as well. Then, he carefully picks up Peter, carrying him bridal style.  
"Let's get you to the compound. I'm gonna fix the paralysis situation."  
Peter nods.  
Iron Man blasts off, and they take to the sky.  
"Hey, Mr. Stark?"  
"Yeah, Kiddo?"  
"I'm sorry about what I said the other day. You were right not to trust Mr. Osborn."  
"Hey, it's water under the bridge. You know I can't stay mad at you, right? It's kind of impossible."  
Peter smiles underneath his mask.  
"Besides, you did have a point. I should've hung out with you at the festival. We good now?"  
"Yeah. We're good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this chapter! I finished writing this at about 4am. Procrastination at its finest. But hey, at least I'm sticking to my updating schedule; every Thursday. Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated! Let's just say, the plot is gonna take a real turn soon.


	7. Number 7 - Fellow Soldiers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Then Harry Osborn froze in his tracks.  
> "What is it?" Peter asked, confused.  
> Something had caught Harry's eye. He made his way over to a newspaper stand and quickly snatched the first copy.  
> Peter walked up behind his friend and looked over his shoulder at-  
> "Can you believe this?!?!?" Harry blurted, furious.  
> "No, no that can't be right-"

It was a gloomy and overcast day. The ominous clouds overhead loomed over them, daring to give out and rain down at any given moment. It really was a day fit for a funeral.  
As far as Peter knew, Harry had no idea how his dad had died. There were many far fetched conspiracies, but thankfully, none were accurate. That was good for Peter.  
They were some of the last people at the gravesite. Many wealthy colleagues of Norman Osborn had attended the funeral, but no one Harry was close to. His father's "fellow soldiers" were everywhere. They all passed by him on their way out, giving him their condolences. It didn't mean much to Harry, though. Their words were empty. They never did anything for his father while he was alive, and their hollow solaces were supposed to mean something now?  
Ned, MJ, and Peter all wore black. They stayed with Harry throughout the funeral and tried to save him from having to hear more insincere sympathies when they could.  
Even Tony attended the funeral, but he couldn't bring himself to face the boy. Although Norman did try to run him through with a knife, he still felt guilty. Norman brought about his own demise, though. Tony still couldn't help but blame himself and feel bad, even though Norman Osborn was far from an ally, let alone a friend. Tony Stark chatted with some of the other scientists and engineers but stayed far away from Harry Osborn.  
After the funeral, there was an after-gathering at Oscorp tower. Harry wasn't a big fan of it. It was almost like a party, a room filled with men and women he felt all secretly hated his father, yet paraded around his own home indulging. It was sickening to him.  
He stepped outside onto the deck on the very top floor. Harry Osborn rested his head in his hand, his elbow propped up on the railing. Peter joined him.  
"Oh, hey, Parker."  
"Hey."  
"You don't need to pity me too. You can hang out with Ned and MJ. I won't be offended."  
"They went home, I came to tell you actually. But I don't mind hanging out with you. I know you probably wanna be alone right now, but sometimes it's nice to have a friend during a time of grieving," Peter gave him a soft smile.  
"Thanks, Peter. You really are an awesome guy. What would I do without a friend like you?" Harry managed to smile.  
"Hey, wanna get out of here? I know this is probably the last place you wanna be right now."  
"You read my mind."  
The two boys snuck out. They took the fire escape stairs to the bottom floor, going unnoticed by everyone. They snuck out the back door of Oscorp Tower and roamed the streets fo New York below.  
"Finally! It was awful in there!" Harry exclaimed, followed by a half-hearted laugh.  
"Yeah, I figured you needed some air."  
"It was a smart idea to take the fire escape stairs, though. No one ever uses them," Harry smiled.  
"What can I say? I'm quite the thinker!" Peter smirked. Harry let out a laugh.  
Then Harry Osborn froze in his tracks.  
"What is it?" Peter asked, confused.  
Something had caught Harry's eye. He made his way over to a newspaper stand and quickly snatched the first copy.  
Peter walked up behind his friend and looked over his shoulder at-  
"Can you believe this?!?!?" Harry blurted, furious.  
"No, no that can't be right-"  
"Since when does the Newspaper lie?!?!"  
"Well, uh, actually-"  
"But this is The Daily Bugle, Peter! The Daily Bugle! They always report the most up to date stuff!"  
"Yeah, but they're also very anti-Spider-Man."  
"And for a good reason! Oh, ho ho, for a very good reason!" Harry says, gripping tightly at the newspaper's edges.  
It read: Spider-Man Behind The Death of Norman Osborn.  
"That header is probably just clickbait. As I said, the Daily Bugle hates Spider-Man. They're just trying to make him look bad-"  
"Or he really did kill my father!"  
"Harry-"  
Harry Osborn flipped open the newspaper and frantically began to read.  
"Green Goblin: Villain or Victim? Norman Osborn may have been behind the Green Goblin mask, but was he indeed a monster? A robin hood, more like it. A working-class man who built his way to the top. A father-"  
"Harry I don't think-"  
"Recent security footage leads us to believe Spider-Man is behind the death of Norman Osborn. Footage from street cameras, 30 minutes before his death, shows Spider-Man and Green Goblin flying off somewhere. Spider-Man was the last person seen with Norman Osborn. Does this mean he's the perpetrator?"  
"Harry, Spider-Man wouldn't kill your father in cold blood!"  
"You don't know that!"  
"Look, I've met Spider-Man! He's a chill guy! A hero! Why would he kill your dad?"  
"You said you met Spider-Man a few times! That's not long enough to know someone well! And I know heroes are supposed to stop villains, but what about their honor code? What good is a hero without a code of honor?"  
"Spider-Man wouldn't just kill someone in cold blood-"  
"Do you have any proof?"  
"I, uh-"  
"Well, The Daily Bugle has proof, and that's good enough for me," Harry pays for the newspaper and begins rushing off with it, back in the direction of the tower. Peter hurriedly followed behind.  
"Where are you going?"  
Harry stopped and turned to face Peter.  
"I'm gonna catch my father's killer."  
"Harry, Spider-Man didn't-"  
"I don't wanna hear it, Peter. I'm your friend. You should be on my side. My father died. If you wanna stick up for Spider-Man, maybe you should go back to brown-nosing Tony Stark," Harry spat.  
Before Peter could reply, Harry crossed the street, on his way back to Oscorp tower. Peter stood there on the sidewalk, still pretty shaken. Wonderful. One of his best friends now thought that he- er, well- Spider-Man killed someone.  
A black Audi pulled up to the curb, and the dark tinted window rolled down.  
"Hop in, Kiddo. Let's get back to the compound," Tony ordered.  
Peter sighed and climbed into the passenger seat of the car.  
"Done talking to your friends already?" Peter joked, knowing full well most of the people at the funeral did not consider Tony a friend.  
Tony laughed and handed Peter the latest copy of The Daily Bugle.  
"Well, you're gonna be done talking to your friend once we discuss this great big story the media has spun. They really should leave the web-spinning to the spider."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated <3  
> Once again, I find myself up past 2AM writing this chapter for you guys. I've been working hard to keep updating every Thursday. Happy to say I've kept to it so far. Sorry that this chapter isn't the longest. The next few should be longer, filled with tons of action and suspense. This chapter had to be shorter to set up the next three that are coming, so stay tuned!


	8. Number 8 - Set The Record Straight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're better than most of us, but you have to keep an open mind, Pete. You can't let your guard down so easily," Tony stops and turns to Peter, placing his index on his chest, by his heart, " Your enemies will use your good heart against you," he drops his hand back to his side, " It's cruel, but they'll do it anyway. They'll break your spirit, Kid."

"I take it your friend saw the front cover of the Daily Bugle?"  
"Yeah, but I don't understand! Why are they saying Spider-Man's a murderer? I didn't kill anyone!"  
"Kid, the media lies all the time, stretches the truth. Especially the Daily Bugle. They're always trying to create a story where it doesn't exist."  
Peter looks outside the window of the Audi, feeling somewhat upset. How could someone just make up a story like that?  
"Well, I didn't exactly I have time to read the inside. What did it say? Have you read it?"  
"Yes, I read it. Someone at the gathering was reading it, and I borrowed it from them. They say that some street cameras spotted Spider-Man with Green Goblin; therefore, you were the last person who saw Norman Osborn alive. They saw you go off with him, and then he was found dead less than an hour later."  
"Yeah! I was paralyzed! I didn't kill him!"  
"I know, Kid. You don't have to convince me. I was there, remember?"  
"Oh, right."  
"And I'm gonna get this sorted out, don't you worry. Though, in the meantime, I don't think you should hang around that Osborn kid."  
The Audi was approaching the HQ.  
"But Mr. Stark, he's my friend! His father just died! He needs me more than ever right now!"  
"You're a good kid, Peter, but I saw him go off when he read that paper. He's a ticking time bomb. If there's one thing I know about Osborns, it's that they're determined. If they want something, they'll get it one way or another. It's only a matter of time before Harry finds out who you really are."  
"I'm sure he doesn't really wanna kill Spider-Man. I mean, even if he does, once he finds out the truth, I'm sure he'll have a change of heart."  
"I wouldn't be too optimistic. He wants to cast the blame on someone. He's already got his heart set on you."  
"Not me. He has his heart set on Spider-Man, who is innocent, by the way."  
Tony sighs.  
"Look, Kid, I know you mean well, but please, just listen to me for once."  
They pull into the garage, and Tony parks the car. Both of them hop out. Tony starts walking ahead, Peter following closely behind.  
"Mr. Stark, Harry is my friend! He wouldn't hurt me, even if he knew I was Spider-Man! We've gotten close these past few months."  
"That might be so, but friends will turn on you, and that's just life. You don't cry over it, you move on. Fight them if it comes to that," Tony says bitterly, Rogers crossing his mind.  
Peter understands where that hostility is coming from, and he knows all too well who he's referring to. He catches up to the billionaire and puts a hand on his shoulder. Tony pauses and turns.  
"I understand where you're coming from, and I'm sorry that your friend turned on you, but Harry's different Mr. Stark. I know he is!"  
"Ah, Kiddo, you always know how to see the good in everyone. Even me. I don't know how you do it," Tony sighs, shaking his head.  
"I'll always try to see the good in someone until they've proven that it's not there."  
They make their way into the building, Peter walking at Tony's side.  
"You're better than most of us, but you have to keep an open mind, Pete. You can't let your guard down so easily," Tony stops and turns to Peter, placing his index on his chest, by his heart, " Your enemies will use your good heart against you," he drops his hand back to his side, " It's cruel, but they'll do it anyway. They'll break your spirit, Kid."  
Peter sighs.  
"Look, Mr. Stark, I realize that you're only trying to protect me, but I'm not abandoning Harry. He's been a great and loyal friend for a while now, and I won't leave him in his time of need!"  
Tony sighs in frustration.  
"Kid, you're missing the point! Why don't you ever listen to me? I was right about Norman, wasn't I?" He groans in anguish.  
"Harry isn't his father!"  
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."  
"Why won't you just give him a chance?" Peter yells in annoyance.  
"Look, I have nothing against your friend, but I know what Osborns are capable of. Dang it, Pete, Norman almost killed you! Do you have any idea how terrifying it was to see Green Goblin carrying a limp Spider-Man in his arms? For a moment there, I thought you were dead!" Tony shouts. He breathes shakily and runs a hand through his hair.  
"Why won't you just trust me?! Trust me to look out for myself!"  
"Because I care."  
"Well, what if I don't want you to care?!" Peter snaps.  
Tony pauses. He looks at Peter.  
"I can't just stop caring about you, Kid. And gosh, you make such stupid calls at times! Countless times I've had to save your butt! You're making me gray, Pete."  
"Well, I never asked for you to look out for me! You're not my dad!" Peter lashes out, furious. But as soon as the words leave his tongue, he feels his heart in his throat. Oh, how he wishes he could retract the words he just spat out.  
Tony reaches into his pocket and pulls out his shades. He puts them on, and Peter knows that's a defense mechanism.  
"You're right, I'm not your dad. And since you're so adamant, I'll back off," Tony says with almost no emotion. He turns and exits the room.  
Peter almost says something as he walks away, but he doesn't. He just can't bring himself to. Yes, he didn't mean everything he said, but he did mean it when he wanted Mr. Stark to trust him. And if he wasn't going to trust him to handle himself for once, maybe it was better this way.  
~~~  
Harry Osborn sits at his father's desk in his father's lab, crying over his dad's Green Goblin gear.  
"I don't understand, Father. Why? Why did you prioritize your work over me? Was a stupid costume really more valuable than your own son?" He whimpers, examing the Goblin helmet now in his hands.  
Without his father around, Harry Osborn had inherited Oscorp at age 16. What a pleasant way to spend your teen years.  
All he ever wanted was to be a normal kid. He wanted to have fun and make plans with fellow teens. He wanted to spend quality time with his father, but people don't always get what they want, do they?  
"You were willing to die for your legacy; willing to leave me orphaned!" Harry stands up, enraged. He tightly grips the helmet in his hand. "Well I hope you got what you wanted, Dad!" He yells, throwing the mask at the wall.  
The mask tumbles to the floor and something activates, the eyes glowing a gold color. Harry steps back, surprised, curious, and scared at the same time. The mask projects a hologram; a camera feed.  
A video begins to play. The last video the helmet ever took. Harry hears an all too familiar voice.  
"Looks like the jig is up, Mr. Grinch," Tony says, advancing toward Green Goblin. "Let's unmask the menace, hm?"  
Iron Man reaches for the Goblin mask and pulls it off. Tony drops it and stumbles back, shocked. The mask continues to record from its place on the ground.  
"Mr. Stark, what's wrong? Who is it?"  
"Norman?"  
He can hear his father coughing. Harry watches in horror as his dad grips his wounded side.  
"It appears my masquerade has come to an end."  
"Mr. Osborn?" that familiar voice asks.  
No...it couldn't be...  
"Why did you take the kid?" Tony Stark interrogates.  
Norman let out a groan of pain. Harry's suspicions are confirmed. He looks to the corner of the screen and there, lying against the wall, is Peter Parker, wearing a Spider-Man suit.  
It all made sense now...why he was so quick to defend Spider-Man. Why he spent so much time with Tony Stark...  
"I didn't want the kid. I wanted Spider-Man. They just happened to be the same person," Norman laughs lightly then grunts.  
"What was your genius plan, huh, pal?"  
"The deal that you're signing with a lucky company...I know that you're fond of Spider-Boy-"  
"Spider-Man," Peter corrects him.  
Norman scoffs.  
"Fine. Spider-Man. I was going to set him up- make it look like he was in danger, and then my tech was gonna save him. Then you would've had to give the deal for me. You would've-" Norman falters, coughing once more.  
So that's what he did this for? A stupid deal?  
"Some plan. Now, let's get you to a hospital, and then prison. FRI, scan 'em."  
A hospital...?  
"It appears that he has lost a lot of blood and has punctured vital organs."  
Norman coughs and then starts laughing.  
"What's so funny?"  
Harry watches as Norman Osborn reaches for a disintegration bomb.  
"This."  
His father throws the bomb at Peter. Before he can react to what's happening, Iron Man blasts the bomb, and it disintegrates in mid-air, destroying nothing.  
Then the feed goes out.  
He knew it. He knew Spider-Man really did kill his father. The stab wound, well, Peter must have inflicted it himself. And his father, throwing that bomb in self-defense. But no one was a match for that power duo, not even the Green Goblin.  
But how? How could Peter Parker, his own friend, someone he thought he could trust, kill his father? How could his first friend do something like this? He thought their friendship meant something, but apparently he was wrong! He knew what Peter had done.  
But Peter didn't know that he knew....  
This would work in his favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the late update! I know my schedule was to update the story every Thursday, and I had been doing that, but I went camping last week. I'm sorry it's been about two weeks since I last updated. I plan to go back to my Thursday schedule again after this. I really hope you liked this chapter. It's finally coming to a close. Two chapters left. Thank you all so much for the kudos and kind comments! They are greatly appreciated and make my day <3


	9. Numer 9 - Look Him In The Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I thought we were friends! Gosh, I thought we were friends, but how wrong I was!"  
>  "Harry, I'm still your friend. I always have been, and I always was-"  
>  "No! No, you're not! Not anymore! Not after what you did to me!" Harry snapped.

Peter lay on his bed in his room at the compound. He looked up at the ceiling, many thoughts racing through his mind. The fight he'd had with Tony, Norman Osborn's death, how Harry had reacted earlier. It was all making his head spin.  
A ringtone tore Peter away from his thoughts. He sat up and reached for his phone. Harry was calling. He picked it up and answered.  
"Hey, what's up?" Peter asked, trying to act nonchalant to cover up his nerves.  
"Hey, Parker. I was feeling a bit down. I was wondering if you wanted to come over and work in the lab with me. My dad's lab belongs to me now, so we could even do some exploring there," Harry suggests, sounding rather cheerful.  
The funeral was earlier that day. Of course, Harry is feeling extra low. He probably needed someone with him to cheer him up. But, Mr. Stark wouldn't want him to go  
Who cares what Mr. Stark would want him to do?  
"I'm on my way," He hung up.  
Peter decided that Oscorp wasn't so far that he couldn't walk, plus there was still some light outside. And, if Harry still had any suspicions about Spider-Man, he probably shouldn't swing over there. If he got caught, well, he would definitely have a lot of explaining to do.  
Quietly, Peter opened his door and crept downstairs. He stealthily made his way out of the compound, making sure not to be seen. With his backpack slung over his shoulder, he began his journey to Oscorp Tower.  
~~~  
Peter arrived at Oscorp tower, and right when he was about to buzz in, the door opened. Harry eagerly waited at the other side, a small smile creeping onto his face.  
"Hey, Parker! Thanks for coming. I could really use a companion right now," He thanked Peter.  
Peter returned the smile.  
"Of course! You're my friend! I'll be here when you need me."   
Harry stepped aside and invited Peter in. The two boys took the elevator to the penthouse.  
"You wanna see my dad's lab? I've got to say I'm quite impressed. I'd never been in it before."  
"Oh, wow, really?"  
"Nope. He was a very private man, especially when it came to his work."  
"Oh."  
Harry shrugged.  
"Eh, it is what it is. It doesn't matter now, does it? 'Cause the lab is mine. Come on!" Harry insisted.  
Harry led Peter to the lab. The massive doors opened, and Peter stood in the doorway for a moment, in awe, taking in his surroundings. Then, he stepped inside.  
"Woah, Harry, this place is amazing!" Peter exclaimed, making his way around and observing.  
"Yeah, it is pretty great," Harry smirked, "and it's mine."  
"That is so awesome..." Peter marveled. Then his curious eyes faded to something else when he caught a glimpse of the Green Goblin gear sitting on a table. Harry noticed his eyes stray.  
"Hey, you wanna go outside?" Harry inquired.  
"I thought you wanted to work on some stuff in here? Well, at least that's what it sounded like over the phone."  
"Yeah, I did...but this place is giving me unwanted memories. I think I could use some fresh air. How about you?"  
"Yeah, totally," Peter agreed, following his friend out of the lab, which had previously belonged to Norman Osborn.  
The two friends stepped outside onto the generous deck at the top of Oscorp tower. They walked up to the railing, looking down at the big, beautiful, bustling city. Thousands of lights lit up the landscape below. It was an incredible sight, like a painting. The noise was far below them, and they were merely spectators, observers of what lay beneath.   
And the sky, well- the sky was a different story. It, too, was beautiful, containing many wondrous lights, yet a different kind of light. The stars were all so perfectly sprinkled in the sky that night, each with its own special glow. It was easier to see the stars from way up there, away from all the glowing signs and noise beneath them. It was almost as if they could touch the heavens. And well, tonight, the sky seemed to be more beautiful than ever. Maybe it was trying to particularly outshine tonight to cover for the tragedy that had recently befallen the young Osborn boy. It was like a Van Gough painting over a city.  
"You killed him."  
Suddenly, all of Peter's wondrous thoughts melted away faster than ice cream on a scorching hot day. He felt at first confusion and then realization. And once that realization kicked in, he was flooded with dread like the world was with water long ago, but he could find no ark in sight.  
"What do you-"  
"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I know you know," Harry said, his eyes not leaving the sky. Peter shifted uncomfortably.  
"I didn't-"  
"Oh, spare me the excuses. I saw the tape."  
"What tape?"  
"The one in the Goblin mask. I know you're Spider-Man, Peter, and I know you killed my father."  
"Your father fell on his own blade."  
Suddenly, two hands gripped onto Peter's shirt, turning him and forcing him to face Harry, forcing him to look him in the eye.  
"No, he didn't, you liar! You killed him! Just admit it! Own up to your own dang mistakes!"  
"Harry, I would never-"  
"I thought we were friends! Gosh, I thought we were friends, but how wrong I was!"  
"Harry, I'm still your friend. I always have been, and I always was-"  
"No! No, you're not! Not anymore! Not after what you did to me!" Harry snapped.  
"Harry, I-"  
Something flickered in Harry's eyes. Something dangerous, something deadly, something spontaneous.  
And the next thing he knew, Peter was being thrown off the balcony in a fit of rage, falling, falling, falling...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! I'm not exactly sure when the last chapter will be out, but hopefully in about a week! The last chapter will probably be a lot longer than the others, and I have a lot planned for it, especially concerning Tony! I hope you're excited, 'cause I am. A lot is going to go down. 
> 
> Thank you for all of the kind comments and kudos. I really appreciate the kindness and support <3


	10. Number 10 - I Imagine Death So Much It Feels More Like A Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter imagined death so much it felt more like a memory. He was always willing to risk his life to save people, even to Mr. Stark's chagrin. Although he had imagined his last moments in many different ways, he never believed that he would die as Peter Parker.

Adrenaline rushed through his body, and fear coursed through his veins. A thousand thoughts ran through his head; his life flashed before his eyes. Was this the end of Peter Parker?  
Peter's eyes were squeezed shut, tears that had only dared to fall before were now breaking free. His heart pounded in his chest. It was beating so fast he'd be surprised if a heart attack didn't kill him before he reached the bottom.  
Everything was happening so rapidly. Wind surrounded him as he cut through the sky. Peter finally managed to open his eyes, but everything was a blur. Everything was moving so quickly. His watery eyes darted around, desperately searching for something, anything. But it was too dark, and he was falling too fast. He swallowed a lump in his throat.  
Spider-Man wasn't falling from the top of the Oscorp tower. Peter Parker was falling from the top of the Oscorp tower. He didn't have his suit. He didn't have his web-shooters. Peter couldn't safely latch onto the side of a building and make a getaway. He couldn't have Karen alert, Mr. Stark, that he was in trouble. Even if she could, Peter was probably the last person Tony Stark would want to see right now.  
The ground was coming closer. Peter was filled with more fear than he'd ever had before. He was vulnerable. He was helpless. He was alone.   
He was going to die. How did he get into this situation? Well, ten things came to the forefront of his mind.  
Gosh, it all started after he befriended Harry. He really thought the kid was different from his father, but grief shaped people; changed people.  
And he still remembered that day he arrived at the HQ late, after hanging out at the coffee shop with MJ, Ned, and Harry. Mr. Stark had warned him, had advised against their friendship, but he didn't listen. He really should've listened...  
And Mr. Osborn had been so fabricated at the festival. He came off as a nice guy rather than condescending. If only Peter had known what had truly been going on in the man's brain.  
Norman Osborn wasn't the sweet, chill, father and scientist he portrayed himself to be. He was a man on a mission, willing to do anything to get that deal with Stark Industries, ready to become the Green Goblin.  
He hadn't known it at the time, but Norman Osborn had ill intent. He attacked Stark Industries to get to him. He paralyzed him temporarily and ran off with him. Thankfully, Mr. Stark had come. But would he come now? The ground was getting closer, and thoughts flew through his brain.  
The atmosphere of the place Goblin had taken him was rigorous. He was helpless, paralyzed, afraid. His identity had been so easily exposed to the man, but in came Iron Man, saving the day once again. He always got Peter out of trouble. He always came. But, maybe there was a first time for everything...  
And the funeral...the funeral was a melancholy sight. All of his fellow soldiers, Mr. Osborn's fellow friends, came together. Yet, Harry made it clear that none of them ever genuinely care about his father. He thought he could help Harry in his time of need, but he had just become angry with Spider-Man, blaming him for everything.  
Mr. Stark had told him to stay away from Harry to stay away from him until he had set the record straight with the media, which had been portraying him as a villain. Mr. Stark only had good intentions, was only trying to help him. He wanted to protect him, keep him safe...but he had only snapped at the man...  
And he went to Harry's place. He went on the balcony with him. He should've known better. He should've known Harry would figure it out. Harry Osborn was a smart, determined kid. He could still remember those two hands, gripping onto his shirt, forcing him to look him in the eye. He had lost a friend in that moment, and now he was going to lose his life.  
Peter imagined death so much it felt more like a memory. He was always willing to risk his life to save people, even to Mr. Stark's chagrin. Although he had imagined his last moments in many different ways, he never believed that he would die as Peter Parker.

~~~

That darn kid. He thought he was so stealthy, sneaking out. Tony knew the boy had left the building, and he had a pretty good idea about where he was going. Tony sighed at his desk, continuing to work on some upgrades to the Spider-Man suit. He was so enraged that the media was trying to paint his kid as a murderous sociopath. Peter was anything but.  
The kid didn't take his suit with him, and it looked like he didn't have his web-shooters either when he saw him exit the building. FRI had alerted him that Peter was leaving the building, showing him the security camera feed. The fact that Peter thought he could go without him noticing was laughable and somewhat cute.  
"I imagine he's going to see Harry, even though I told him specifically not to."  
"Well, I accessed the outdoor cameras, and he seems to be heading in that direction."  
Tony sighed, laughing to himself. He was going to learn the hard way.  
But maybe that wasn't a good thing...if Harry Osborn indeed was the spitting image of his father, who knew what he was capable of. And Peter, being such the good kid he was, trusted Harry wholeheartedly and seemed to not have brought anything to protect himself with.  
Tony shook his head and dragged his hand down his face. He stood up and tapped his reactor, the suit engaging and covering him.  
"Where are you going, Boss?"  
"Making sure the kid stays out of trouble."  
Iron Man flew over the city, finally coming to a stop, landing atop a building near Oscorp Tower. He had a decent view and could see two figures in the penthouse. Probably Peter and Harry.  
He stood there for a while, nothing exciting happening. Maybe he had overreacted.  
He must've been lost in thought because suddenly, FRIDAY's voice was pounding in his helmet.  
"Boss!"  
"Yeah, FRI?"  
"Someone just fell from Oscorp Tower!"  
Tony shook himself, and his blood went cold when he saw a figure, halfway to the ground, free falling. Peter.  
He swooped down as fast as he could. He had to catch the kid. He had to. If he didn't, he didn't know what he would do with himself.  
He was so close, but so was the ground. But just in time, Iron Man caught him, holding him to his chest, landing majestically at the base of Oscorp Tower.  
"M-Mr. Stark? Is that really you or just a suit??" Peter stammered, still a bit shaken from the occurrence.  
Tony retracted his armor.  
"It's me, Kiddo."  
"How did you know- why did you come? The things I said to you-"  
"Pete, bud, I'd never leave you to die over a stupid argument. And I know you didn't mean everything you said. You were just angry."  
Tony smiled softly at Peter, and Peter returned the smile. Their reunion was short-lived, though. Suddenly, someone swooped down on a hoverboard and wore a mask—Green Goblin 2.0, or most likely, Harry Osborn.  
"I guess killing you didn't work after all, but then again, why would I do that? You stole my father from me. The least I can do is return the favor."  
Panic arose within Peter when he realized what Harry was saying. Tony did too, but before he could re-engage is armor, Green Goblin shot at him. Peter threw himself in front of Tony, taking a blade impaling his arm. He yelped in pain, and Tony looked at him disapprovingly. Still, it gave the billionaire enough time to re-engage his armor.  
And before Harry could shoot at Iron Man again, he was repulsor blasted off his board. The teen wasn't nearly as experienced as his father had been.

~~~  
Peter lay on a bed in Med Bay. Helen Cho had just finished treating his arm. Tony sat by his bedside in a chair, looking rather concerned.  
"Mr. Stark, it's nothing, really. I'll heal fast. Don't worry."  
"You shouldn't have thrown yourself into danger for me, Kid."  
"You tried to warn me, and you saved me. It was the least I could do."   
"But you-"  
"Hey, I'm the one that heals fast. Plus, I'm gonna be okay. Had that hit you, you would've been in a lot more danger."  
Tony sighed and shook his head.  
"What am I supposed to do with you?"  
Peter smirked at the billionaire. Then it faded quickly.  
"Something wrong, bud?"  
"It's just...it's kinda sad, what happened to Harry. He was my friend..."  
"I know, Kiddo. He's dealing with the authorities right now, but I know how much you believed in him, how you saw the best in him. You're better than most of us, Kid."  
"I wish I would've listened to you..."  
"Hey, none of that, mkay? And you were right. Harry was a good kid. He only started acting up after the Goblin incident. Grief really can change a person, unfortunately for the worst sometimes."  
Peter sighed.  
"I'm just happy you're okay," Peter smiled softly.  
"And I'm happy you are too."  
"Are we good now?"  
"Yeah, we're good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the final chapter of the story! Several long months of writing but it's finally come to an end and paid off! I have several other stories I've been working on, one-shots and stories with multiple chapters, if you're interested! Thank you all so much for the love and support. All of your kind comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated and really make my day. I hope you enjoyed! <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this first chapter! This is my first story on Archive. I will try to have the next chapter up soon. Get ready for some overprotective Tony Stark.


End file.
